The Royal Canadian Yacht Club possesses one of the finest collections of yacht models in North America, in spite of Clubhouse fires in 1896, 1904 and 1918 that consumed many valuable examples. One still bears the scars of a fire.

Our collection now includes over 170 models, about half displayed in the City Clubhouse Model Room with the remainder elsewhere in the City Clubhouse or in the Island Clubhouse. The Island’s Flagship Room displays some three dozen models of past Commodores’ yachts while the Eight-Metre Room shows a dozen of the type. Dinghy models from the past to present can be seen throughout both Clubhouses.

Our models are of two types, the functional and the commemorative. Until relatively recently, the process of designing a vessel entailed first carving a suitable piece of wood into the desired shape of one-half of the hull. When the shipwright was satisfied, he would slice the model into horizontal strata, measure it at defined stations, then transfer those measurements, scaled up to the vessel’s full size, to timbers to be cut into hull framing. Many of our earlier models served that purpose; a few of them still display pencil-marks on their backs and decks from that process.

Once “scientific” naval architecture took over yacht design in the 1880’s, the models – at least those of a size suitable for Club display – lost their functional role. Instead most were usually made after the vessel was complete, to commemorate the owner’s pleasure in sailing it. While earlier models represented only the hull, later models add details of the deck and fittings.

Information on our models was first compiled in 1980 by George H Cuthbertson, then our Honorary Historian, drawing on the Annals of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, whose first volumes were written by C H J Snider, long-time Club Historian. In the more than 30 years since, more information has come to light on some vessels (as of 2003, Bibis was back in Scandinavia and still winning, White Wings has been extensively restored); other vessels, such as Hiawatha and Kwasind have been added because they are too important to us to leave them unexplained.

This on-line presence, with photos and texts linked to the model by QR Codes, is intended to supplement, not supplant, the original binder of text and photos. Photos, transcription of the original plus additional text and the online implementation are by David Weatherston, aided by the Chair of the Heritage Committee, Bill McNaughton, Archivist Beverley Darville and Web Coordinator Diane Kolar.